If you frequently rely on eye drops to rehydrate your eyes, refresh your contacts, or reduce redness, you may want to triple-check the label on that teeny bottle before popping said drops into your precious eyes. Your vision could be at risk!
The FDA has issued a warning to consumers to immediately stop using 27 popular over-the-counter eye drops due to a risk of eye infection that could potentially lead to vision loss and blindness.
According to the report, the eye drops in question are from brands including CVS Health; Rite Aid; Target Up & Up; Velocity Pharma; Leader (Cardinal Health); Rugby (Cardinal Health); and Walmart’s Equate Hydration PF Lubricant Eye Drops. The FDA issued a recall for these products on October 25 after finding that “investigators found insanitary conditions in the manufacturing facility and positive bacterial test results from environmental sampling of critical drug production areas in the facility.” Eye drops and ophthalmic products are required to be sterile, and thus the FDA has mandated that anyone using the above brands should discontinue use immediately.
According to the FDA, CVS, Rite Aid, Walmart, and Target are removing the products from their store shelves and websites, but Leader, Rugby, and Velocity products may still be available to purchase online and in stores. (See the full list of recalled products here.)
If you have been using any of the recalled products, toss those bottles ASAP! (Just make sure to follow the FDA’s guidelines for proper disposal.) If you have noticed issues with your vision, the FDA recommends giving your doctor a call right away. Eye infection symptoms can include discharge, pain, light sensitivity, redness, and feeling like there’s something in your eye. “Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection after using these products should talk to their health care provider or seek medical care immediately.”
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